The Garage Strength Podcast The NEW Science of Football Strength and Conditioning w/ BYU Sport Scientist Dr. Skyler Mayne
Jan 17, 2026
Dr. Skyler Mayne, a sport scientist for BYU Football, dives into the latest innovations in football strength and conditioning. He discusses how specific lifts can enhance speed and the importance of athlete screening through force plates. Skyler explains the difference in training approaches for big-bodied athletes versus skill players and the role of nutrition in performance. He emphasizes the need for individualized training plans and effective communication, especially for athletes returning from missions, showcasing BYU's successful culture in sports science.
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Pair Speed And Lift Types
- Pair speed days with matching lift types: top-end speed with vertical lower-body and acceleration with horizontal/unilateral work.
- Schedule heavy acceleration, max velocity, COD, and tempo across the week and adjust volume by player age and role.
Screen First, Individualize Second
- Use screening (force plates, DSI jumps, 3RM, 1080 profiling) to bucket athletes into force, velocity, volume, or elite tiers.
- Then individualize programming by limb length, hip anatomy, and filmed sprint mechanics.
Profile Resisted Sprints Across Loads
- Use multiple resisted-sprint load points: heavy-short (e.g., 30kg×15y) to light-long (e.g., 5kg×30y) and plot performance across them.
- Compare those data to flying-10s to find where an athlete is force- or velocity-deficient.